Alternating-current rectifier



C. J. QUILL.

ALTERNATING CURRENT RECTIFIER.

APPLICAHON FILED um. 31. 1911. RENEWED AUG. 18,1921.

1,395,521. ente N V. 1, 1921.

2 SHEETSSNEET l.

FIGII z A w iNVENTOR.

r. .1. can. 4

1 ATTOR/ Y.

C. J. QUILL.

,ALTERNATING CURRENT HECTIHER.

APPLICATION men um. 31. 1917.

RENEWED AUG 18.192]- Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR.

C. .1. qu/L L UNITED. STATES.

PATENT. OFFICE.

ciimns J. com, or sen rmcrsco, camromna, assronon or own-11am? TOWILLIAM H. FILBEN,OF ST. PAU

) mN,ESOTA.

AnwnnnammG-cvnnmrr RECTIFIEI Z.

Specification ot Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

' t Application filed January 81, 1917, Serial No. 145,789. RenewedAugust 18, 1921. Serial No. 483,482.

To all whomlit may concern: a

Be it known that I, Omanns J. om,- a citizen of the United States,residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco, State ofCalifornia, have invented a' new and useful Alternating-CurrentRectitier, of which the following is a specification in such full'andclear terms as will enable those skilled in the art toconstruct and usethe same.

This invention relates to an alternatingcurrent rectifier, .an object ofwhich is to provide an extremely simple form of current rectifiermechanism which will be ca able of supplying batteries or are lights witdirect current or other-appliances requiring direct current.

Another object of the invention is to produce an apparatus .which willbe extremely simple in construction and which will give a very highefiiciency in return of electriccun rent transformed for electriccurrent used.

It is to be observed that a synchronous motor is used throughout theseveral modifications shown capable of making 1800 R. P. M. where 60cycle alternating current is used, or that the speed in R. P. M. of thesynchronous motor shall be one half the frequency per minute of thealternating current pp y ,7

Other ob ectS of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

An embodiment of the invention isshown in the drawings in which the samereference numeral is applied to the same portion throughout, but I amaware that there may be many .modifications thereof.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation partly diagrammaticof a generator, synchronous motor and the windings for producing directcurrent from alternating current, where three brushes are used on matic,showing a modified form of the a 4 paratus in which four brushes areused in connection with a commutator having two so ents onl 1g. 6 is alagrammatic view of a ,ortion of the apparatus shownin Fig. with thecommutator turned 90 degrees and shown in sect on to show itsconstruction,

Eng. 7 IS a side elevation partly dia ammatlc of a slightly diiferentform of this apparatus in w ich four brushes are used on the commutatorbut which has only 90 degrees of its metallic periphery in contact withabrush at any time, and p 8 is a view partly diagrammatic showlng thecommutator of Fig. 7 turned 90 de mas and shownin section.-

n Fi 1 G indicates the generator, SM the s c ronous motor, and A an arelight, whic is operated by the direct current produced. .The nerator hastwo line wires 1 and 2 which ead to an auto transformer 3, taps 4 and 5extending to adouble pole switch 6, and serving to supply the wires 7and '8 leading to the synchronous motor with the current necessary tooperate the latter. The synchronous motor is provided with a shaft 9 onwhich the commutator is mounted. The commutator comprises two disks 10and 11, which form uards to prevent the brushes 12, 13and 14 011!working ofl the side of the segments 15 and 17,, and which segments areseparated by means of blocks of insulating material as illustrated at18. The segments 15, 17 and 18 are mounted upon a spool of insulatingmaterial 19, and form a true cylindrical track for the brushes to runon. The brush 12 is connected with the main lead wire 2 by means of awire 20' the resistance 21 with cut out wire 22 and switch 23 beingprovided to increase or di minish the resistance in the wires leading tothe brushes as may be necessary. The brush 14 is connectedby means oftheresistance 24: cut out wire 25 and switch 26 with the main lead wire 1.The auto transformer 3 has a lurality of outlets 27 with the ceptral one0 which the wire 2E leading to the are light 8 is connected. A wire 29with suitable resistance 30 connects the brush 13'with the opposite poleand the are light A.

In the foregoing construction if the several circuits are traced it willbe seen that the current will always flow in one direction through thearc carbons. For assuming the -arrow adjacent the are it the directionof arrow and a clockwise rota- 7 tion of the commutator current will bedeli-vered through segment down through the 10 are for 90 degrees fromthe brush 12 to the 1 brushzliga After the commutator has moved .90degrees the brush 13.-and the brush 14 will contact with the halfsegment 17 thereb producing a flow of current from -the brus 14 throughsegment 17, brush 13, and'then throu h the arc, and since itis'connected witht e other outlet-of the auto transformer 3 the currentwill flow in the same-direction through the are as it previously did.The

remainder of the travel lproduces eractly the same results with thesegments in re-' versed: position;

. tend to the auto transformer,43,vthe latter Figs. 3 and 4, thegenerator is indicated at G', the synchronous motor at SM" and the arelight at A. The generator is provided with lead wires 41 and 42 whichexhavinga plurality of outlets 44 to var .-.the

with the requirements, Wires 45, 46 extend to the synchronous motor fromthe lead wires- 7 41, 42,- and the lead-wire 42 is also connected rings47 and 50 with two guard dis 4 and'afdisk of insulating material53-betweeijr guard disks in which are seated the two 45 segments 54there being two of the,

"with an alternating current brush 46 bearing upon an alternatingcurrent ring47 carried by the shaft 48 of the synchronous motor: Thewire 41 also extgllids to the alternating current brush as indie ted at49 which bears upon an alternating ring 50 also carried by the shaft 48..The commutators, in this instance, each comprise the alternating.

meta c commutators on the s aft 48. Their relation "to'the brushes 55,56 is such that when one of the segments 54 is in contact with the brush55 that the segments 54 on the other pole changer do not come in contactwith 'theibrush 56, being placed just 90 degrees from the other one.lVires 57, 58 conneot with a reactance resistance59 from the cen ter ofwhich a wire 60 extends to the are light A. From the other pole of theare instance.

Now assuming the alternat on in the wire 42 to be at the present time insuch a direc- -tion*zis to deliver current to the brush 55 and are lightA in the direction of the switch lever 75' resp'ectively. In the form ofthe apparatus shown in- '76 which has a wire'7'f connected with thevoltage of the rectifiedcurrent in acc'or ance will be seen that when inthe. sitiQn 90 degrees difi'erent that current Wlllybe traveling up inthe wire 41 and hence will travel through the alternating current ring'50 and brush 56 to the arc in the same direction as the previouscurrent therethrough. 1

In the construction just outlined it will be apparent that current willflow through the arc in the same direction all of the time, exceptwhen'the brushes are on the dead points "but that its voltage will bedependent upon the place of connection- 0f the wires 41 and 42" with theauto transformer 43. In 5 and 6 the generator is indicated'at 1r",

" the synchronous'motor at Sll and a battery receivin direct current atB, Wire's 70, 71 extend mm the generator to an auto transformer 72, andwires 73 and 74 lead from the main supply wires to the synchronous motorand to an"a'utomatieall releasing 1 he switch lever '75 contacts with anare shaped plate other pole of the synchronous motor, the object of saidconstruction is to start the synchronous motor as soon as the handle ofthe switch has been moved a short distance, and when it ismoved'tliroug'h a further (lis tanee, its plate 77' connects thecontacts 78 "and-'79 so'that-a current isthen passed through the coil80, and the switch lever is "held down by said' magnet. The shaft 81 ofthe synchronous motor carries a pole changer,-which in this instancecomprises two guard dislrs'82, 83, two half circle me- -.tallic segments84, 85, mounted one pair of insulating disks 86, 87, and theexids ofwhich are separated by-meari'sof the ins'u lating plates 88, 89. Thesegments 84 and ;,85 are substantially 180 degrees in extent,

and at their middle -points they have insulation bars 90 .and 91 letinto th'emtoprevent short circuit of the apparatus in a manner that willbe presently-ex lained.

, There are fourbrushe 92 to 95 inclusive placed around'thecommutator 90degrees .apart. The brushes93'95 are connecteclwith the auto transformerwires 96 and 80, 98'

respectively. -While the brushes 92, 9 4 are connected with the wires100, 99 respectively leading to thebattery respectively.

The result of the foregoingconstruction; is that, whenever there is acompletecircuit closed' (with the switch 75' closed) between the wires96 and 98, alternating-current will flow in said wires; and assuming thecommu tator tomove anticlockwise Fig.6 it will seen that there will be acom letecircuit through the battery by way of t e brush 95, segment 85,brush 94, wire 99, battery, wire 100, brush 92, segment 84 and brush 93back to the wire 96 on the opposite sideof the auto transformer. Whenthe osition of the commutator 1s just reversed, t e current directionwill bejust reversed thereby causing a unidirectional flow of currentthrough the wire 99 and battery. The insulation points 90 and 91 are putin for the purpose of preventing a short circuit between the brushes incertain positions as would occur were they not inserted, and 1f thecurrent goes ofi momentarily, the switch lever opens the entire circuit.

In Figs. 7 ands there is shown a further modification of the commutatorin which four brushes and a single Gontact segment slightly less thandegrees'is used. 'In these figures the numeral indicates one of the leadwires extending from the genorator .G', the other wire extendingtherefrom to the auto transformer 112. Vires 113, 111 connect the mainlead wires with double pole switch 115 from which wires- 116, 117 extendto the synchronous motor SM. The synchronous motor shaft 118 carries thecommutator which has a ring 119 thereon, two guard disks 120, 121,between which guard disks there is an insulated disk 122 having ametallic segment 123 let thereinto, and the surface of which extendsover; an arc of less than 90 degrees. -F our brushes 124 to 127inclusive are placed 90 degrees apart around the commutator. The brushes121, 126 are connected by means of the-wires 128, 129, with one pole 130of the auto trans-f former, andthe two brushes 125, 127 are connected bymeans-of the wires 131, 132' with the wire'133 leading to the other poleof the auto transformer 112. A wire 134 connects with the brush 135which contacts with the ring 119 and on the oppositepolo of the batterya wire 136 extends to the center of the auto transformer 112.

The result of the foregoing construction is that as the commutator isrotated that onlyone of the brushes 124 to 127 will be in con-' tactwith the segments 123 at a'time, but since that segment is connectedwith the ring 119 by means of the pin 140 during substantially all thetime there will be a possibility of current flowing through the battcryconnections from the center of the auto transformer.

For example, supposing the alternation at the present instant Fig. 8 tobe down in the wire 133, 131 brush 125, segnient-123, I111 119, up inbrush 135, wire 134, battery an wire 136 tothe auto transformer 112fcurrent current thereto because at this'time the current wave in thewire 128 is also coming toward the conunutator, a'nd the same effectcontinues 'as the commutator rotates, the- 'current through the batterybeing' always unidirectional. I

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new and'desire tosecure by Letters Patent or the United States, is as follows J 1. 'Analternating current rectifier comprising a;spuroe of alternating currentsupply, a synchronousmotonconnected therewith, an autotransformer-connected with a source of electric current sup 1y, acolumntator havingiltwo ogpositely 1111M segine'nts e she carried, by tof the synchronous motor, a plurality (if brushes bearing upon thecommutator, an alternatingcurrent circuit connected with certain of saidbrushes, a,di' rect current circuit connected with one of said brushesand with the auto transformer wherebya direct current load in. thelatter circuit is supplied 'y ith unidirectional current... '3. i- 1*? a2. An alterriatin'g; current rectifier comprising a source ofalternating'cu'rrent supply, asynchronous motor operated thereby, acommutator having two oppositely placed segments carried. by the shaftof the synchronous motor, a plurality of brushes hearing upon saglcommutator, connections between certai of'said brushes and the maincircuit, a d'reot'current' load,:an electric circuit conne 'ng one ofsaid brushes and the direct our int load with the. auto transformerwhireby upon V the operation of the synchronous motor direct currentwill bedelivered to sa-id load.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of Jan.A. D. 1917.

i CHARLES J. QUILL.

